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Philly Fringe Vital Stats: Ellie Goudie-Averill and Pamela Vail

Posted July 24th, 2012

Ellie and Pamela feeling caffeinated.

Ellie Goudie-Averill and Pamela Vail are dancers, choreographers, and facilitators of performance collision; their 2012 Philly Fringe show Go Together features live music by Temple University’s percussion ensemble, video by Jeremy Moss, theater by Jon Foley Sherman, and of course dance—lots of dance. Ellie dances for Philly’s Group Motion Dance Company, and Pamela is Assistant Professor of Dance at Franklin & Marshall College. The two met at a local coffee shop to answer our questions, passing a computer back and forth in silence, communicating with us and each other via keyboard. They also found time to take cute—and special-effect-ed—photos. What a duo!

Age:
Pamela: Do we have to say our ages?
Ellie:  Turned 30 this year and I love it!  Entering my sexual prime and all…

Where were you born?
Pamela: North White Plains, New York.
Ellie: Topeka, Kansas.

Show Title: Go Together: A concert featuring dance artists Ellie Goudie-Averill and Pamela Vail.

Do you have children? If so, do you love them?
Pamela: I have 3 cats (well, maybe 4—there’s a stray who seems to be living at my house now), and they are pretty much my children. Just a little lower maintenance than actual human children.
Ellie:  My cousins are procreating like crazy, so that lets me off the hook for awhile.  That and, I can’t spontaneously procreate with my wife.

What was your favorite toy as a kid?
Ellie:  When I was tiny, I had a Raggedy Ann that I loved, but then I got asthma and we had to wash her and her face fell off.  When I was older I had a vintage Barbie named Midge who had three different wigs.

Favorite coffee shop? What do you order?
Pamela: One of the few in Philly that I’ve been to is Mug Shots. Delicious latte. But my real fave is in Lancaster: Chestnut Hill Café.
Ellie:  Is that where we are right now?
Pamela: Yup! And isn’t your soy latte delicious?
Ellie:  I adore it, and your latte had an amazing foam fern on it!
Pamela: I know, they are GOOD. [pause] So now you have to answer the question Ellie!
Ellie:  I really like the Rocket Cat, it is right by my house.  I’m not really hip enough to go in there, but I still do sometimes.
Pamela: Love that name! And you’re totally hip, Ellie.
Ellie:  Even though I am wearing pink polka dots right now?

Marvel Comics, or DC?
Ellie:  Are you asking us to choose between a comic book line and a city?
Pamela: That’s what I was thinking! I don’t get it. Or maybe Diet Coke?

Ellie and Pamela, why such long faces?

What’s the most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen on SEPTA?
Pamela: I have actually NEVER been on SEPTA. Crazy, I know.
Ellie:  Whoa, that is crazy!  Next time you come over, we’ll ride the bus for fun.  I don’t think you really want to know the MOST disgusting thing, it’s actually more disturbing than disgusting and involves blood, cake, and curse words.

A doctor puts a scope inside your ear. What does she see?
Pamela: First of all, I like that the doctor is a SHE in this question. Answer: a LOT of wax. I think I have a problem.
Ellie:  I think we’re supposed to say something like, my mind is a wonderland, yo! You see rock candy mountains and streamers and confetti!
Pamela: Oh. Um, okay, cool wax.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” or Cookie Monster’s “Share It Maybe”?
Pamela: Don’t know either of these songs, and again maybe this makes me lame. But really, I’m not. I DO like Cookie Monster.
Ellie:  We just clicked the links and our votes for Cookie Monster are unanimous.  But, Pam really did know that preteen pop song!  Barfacious!
Pamela: Totes. I’d heard it but just didn’t know what it was called or anything. Eeeooo.
Ellie:  And Cookie Monster didn’t make us watch an ad! Is that the end?
Pamela: Yup, that’s it. This was like having a conversation without talking, no?
Ellie:  Yes, lets try this in rehearsal too.
Pamela: Do you think the people here think we’re weird sitting next to each other, just taking turns typing without talking?
Ellie:  I think. But just a little.

Go Together runs September 7 at 6:00 pm, September 8 at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm at the Meeting House Theatre at the Community Education Center, 3500 Lancaster Avenue, West Philadelphia. $15.

–Audrey McGlinchy

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